Joel Osteen (2:51)
We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. God bless you. It's great to be with you today and I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week through our Daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit us in person. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services, but I'd like to start with something funny and I heard about this senior citizen. He was driving down the freeway in his brand new Corvette with the top down, going 80 miles an hour when he saw flashing red lights in his rearview mirror from a state trooper. Without thinking about it, he floored it, took it up to 100 miles an hour. He heard the sirens behind him, finally came to his senses, pulled over, said, officer, I'm so sorry, I don't know what I was doing. The trooper said, Listen, it's Friday, 4 o' clock. My shift is over in 30 minutes. If you'll tell me a reason you were speeding that I've never heard before, I'll let you go. The man thought about it, said, officer, years ago my wife ran off with a state trooper and I thought you were bringing her back. He said, have a great weekend. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus name, God bless you. I want to talk to you today about Break the chains. We all have things that are trying to hold us back. Can be fear, addictions, negative things. People have said now that's damaging our self image and keeping us from believing who we are. Sometimes it's mistakes we've made, we keep rehearsing it, living down on ourselves and the past is restricting us. Maybe we're dealing with an illness, child's off course or can't seem to get ahead in our finances. We want to move forward, but it's like these forces keep pulling us back and it's easy to get comfortable being constrained to learn to live with things that are limiting us. Just accept this is who I am, chained to this addiction Chained to my past, chained to how I was raised. But God did not create us to live bound. One reason Jesus came, died and rose again was so you could be free. Not partially free, not most of the way free. The scripture says you will be unquestionably free. That means there's no doubt. You're not having to fake it. Pretend you're healthy, you're whole, your children are excelling. You're living a victorious life. And yes, there will be seasons of struggling and times where you feel restricted. Nothing's improving. But you have to keep this down in your spirit. Those chains are not permanent. That depression is not how your story ends. Living in lack, low self esteem, a temper you can't control. Those powers may be too much for you, but they are not too much for our God. Sometimes we've done all we can. We prayed, we stayed in faith. But nothing's changing. It's tempting to feel discouraged. There's nothing more that I can do. But that's when the Most High is going to step in and do what you couldn't do. He's the chain breaker. He came to take off of you what the enemy put on you. To loose chains, to break the bondages. Acts 2 says, God raised Jesus up having loosed the chains of death. For it was not possible that he could be held by it. Because you belong to Christ, you need to have that attitude. It's not possible that these chains can hold me. The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you. Don't get comfortable being constrained. Accept limitations as your lot in life. The forces that are for you are greater than those that are against you. Joel, I think I'll always deal with this addiction. My child will always be off course. I can't get ahead. We've always been broke, at a disadvantage. Try a different approach. It's not possible that these chains can stay. For I know who my God is. It's not possible that this addiction, this trouble at work, this fear keeps me bound. For my God is greater. My God is stronger. He's more powerful and he's fighting my battles. You have to be free on the inside before you'll be free on the outside. Victory starts in our thinking. As long as we believe. Man, I'm stuck here. I'm lonely. I'm at a disadvantage. Then we're going to stay there. Give God something to work with instead of complaining about what's holding you back. Turn it around. Lord, I want to thank you that you're the chain breaker that Every force that's holding me back is being broken. That I will live and not die. That I am free from this addiction. That my children are mighty in the land. Mark, Chapter five. There was a man that was deranged. He had lost his mental health. Got so bad, people couldn't control him. They had to send him away. He was living among the tombs in this desolate area. They tried chaining him up, but he was too strong. He kept getting loose. He was so troubled night and day. He'd wander around constantly cutting himself. This wasn't the man just going crazy. The scripture says an unclean spirit had come into the man. This was forces of darkness trying to keep him from his destiny. Look at how the enemy works. This man is bound, tormented, living in a graveyard. Seems like he was stuck. This power was too much for him. But the scripture says Jesus came to destroy the works of the enemy. You are not powerless against forces that come against you. The power in you is greater than any power that will try to stop you. These forces come against us all, trying to bind us, cause us to live. Troubled, worried, addicted. The good news is the enemy doesn't have the final say. Don't believe those lies, that you will always be that way. God is watching over you. He sees what's happening. He knows the struggles, the unfair things and what you can't overcome. He's not going to leave you stranded. He's not going to let you stay bound. It may be a Friday in your life, but Sunday is coming. See, for three days it looked like Jesus was defeated. He was crucified by the soldiers. Satan finally thought he stopped him, had him bound up, chained. I can see the forces of darkness having a big party and celebrating their victory. There's music, dancing and shouting. But one of the demons looks over and sees this figure coming toward them. His eyes are like fire, his hair white like wool. His face shines like the sun. They're confused. They think, who is this person? Jesus smiles and says, I'm back. He didn't just defeat the enemy, but he took the keys to death and hell. He said I was dead, but I am alive forevermore. The good news is, God has the key to every chain the enemy tries to put on you. There's not a bondage he can't free you from. Not a problem he can't turn around. Not a sickness he can't heal. Not an addiction he can't break. Not a fire he can't bring you out of. Just ask the three Hebrew teenagers. Not a red Sea he can't part. Just ask Moses. Not a giant he can't defeat. Just ask David. Not a door he can't open. Just ask Paul and Silas. You are not doing life by yourself. The most high God is working behind the scenes, fighting for you, loosing chains, bringing victory. It's significant. This man was living in a cemetery. A cemetery represents dead things. It's a place that we may visit, but we're not supposed to live there. Sometimes, like him, we're living in the cemetery of our failures, reliving all the mistakes we've made. The cemetery of our hurts, focused on who did us wrong, who walked away. The cemetery of bad breaks, doors that closed. Why did I come down with this illness? As long as your thoughts are in the cemetery, dwelling on dead things, you're going to stay stuck. You have to get out of that graveyard mentality. Come over to a place of faith, of hope, of victory. The enemy would love to keep you in the cemetery. Focus on all the negative, dwelling on the disappointments. Do yourself a favor, get out of that graveyard. Quit reliving all the discouraging things, thinking about how impossible it is. You may visit there every once in a while, but you can't stay there. When Mary was at the tomb on that Sunday morning looking for Jesus, she was so distraught and upset. An angel appeared and said, mary, why do you seek the living among the dead? He was saying, you're at the wrong place if you're looking for Jesus. He's not in the grave anymore. He has risen. The grave was only temporary. You got to go to where he is. Some of us are seeking the living among the dead. We want joy, peace, new relationships. But we're looking in dead places. What used to be, what didn't work out, mistakes that we've made. Nothing will change until you come out of that cemetery. Shift your thoughts to things that are positive, hopeful. Start expecting some turnarounds. Start believing that your Sunday is coming. Start declaring that the chain breaker is on the way. Faith is what causes God to work. Verse 4 says, no person could bind this man, not even with chains. For when they locked him up, he was so strong he would snap the chains. I always saw that as negative man. He was so deranged he couldn't be chained. But maybe God was showing us a principle that no person can chain you. That no matter what they did, they can't keep you bound. No matter what they said, they can't stop your destiny. No matter how unfair it was, it can't hold you back. There is A power in you that. That will break chains. A force that will supersede. What should stop you now quit believing the limitations that people try to put on you. They'd love to chain you up to how they see you. You're not talented enough, smart enough, attractive enough. You made too many mistakes. You're too far off course. You're too sick. Those are chains that will try to limit your destiny. But no person can chain you. What they say doesn't determine who you are. They didn't breathe life into you. They didn't plan your days for good. They didn't create you in their own image. God did. He called you. He equipped you. He empowered you. He crowned you with his favor. Now break out of those chains of how people are trying to define you. The only power they have over you is the power that you give them. If you believe what they said, then it can become a reality. Why don't you tune that out and believe what God says about you? They tell you you're not attractive. Break that chain. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am a masterpiece. You're not talented. You'll never be successful. I can do all things through Christ. I am the head and not the tail. You've made too many mistakes. You don't deserve to be blessed. I am forgiven. I am redeemed. I am worthy. That's how you break chains. Well, yeah, but you've had so many setbacks. You've gone through loss. It's all downhill from here. Don't stay in that graveyard. Don't let them chain you in the cemetery. That's not where you live. Lord, I thank you that you have beauty for these ashes. That what was meant for harm. You're turning to my advantage. No person can chain you. No force of darkness can hold you back. You are a child of the most high God. When my father went to be with the Lord and I stepped up to pastor the church, there were all these chains trying to stop me. And sometimes it's our own thoughts that are trying to lock us up. Joel, you don't know how to minister. You're not qualified. You're not talented enough. You're not as smart as your father. Those were chains trying to keep me from my destiny. I overheard others saying, he's not as good as his father. I don't think the church is going to make it. People were trying to put chains on me. The newspaper here in town did a big article on my father's passing. At one point, they said the worst thing that could happen is for one of the sons to take over. They listed all these examples of where it hadn't worked and I thought, thanks so much for your encouragement. But here's the key. No person can keep you bound. They may put a chain on you, but you have the power to break that chain. Greater is he that's in you than he that's trying to stop you. You may be dealing with some chains now, people trying to limit you. You're tempted to live in the cemetery, rehearsing all the negative. But I believe today there's a chain breaking, anointing coming. You're going to feel a power that you've never felt to break chains of depression, chains of insecurity, chains of lack and struggle. You're about to see a supernatural release, a release into freedom, into abundance, into joy, into great relationships. It's the power of the most high, that breathing on your life, thrusting you into your destiny. My father was raised very poor. They were farmers and they lost everything during the Great Depression. At 17 years old, Daddy gave his life to Christ, the first one in the family. He felt God calling him to become a pastor. He told his parents he was going to leave home and go out and start ministering. They meant well, but they said, john, you don't know how to minister. All you know how to do is work on the farm. You're going to get out there and fail. You better stay here with us. They put this chain on him, locked him up to who they thought he was. People will try to define you into the version of how they see you. The problem is they can't see the greatness God put in you. They can't see the gifts and talents. They can't see the books, the businesses, the influence, the abundance. They'll try to lock you up into what they see right now. But they're not seeing the full you. They're seeing a partial version of who God made you to be. Don't let their limited view keep you from growing, stretching, believing, dreaming. They may try to chain you. Good news is no person can keep you bound. You can break the chains. The power God put in you is a chain breaking power. It's greater than any force that's trying to stop you now. You have to do your part. You can't live with a defeated mentality. Believe in the lies that you've reached your destiny. Man, I'll never get well. I'll never own my own house. I don't think I'll ever meet the right person. Do yourself a favor. Come out of that graveyard. Quit looking for the living among the dead. God didn't bring you this far to leave you. You wouldn't be hearing this if you weren't about to break some chains. You have to rise up. I know circumstances may have put you in the cemetery. Someone tried to lock you up. The right attitude is, I'm not staying here. I am coming into freedom. I'm coming into wholeness, into health, into abundance, into victory. Yes, we go through some Fridays, but the chains can't hold you. Sunday is coming. 1996. A star basketball player was drafted right out of high school into the NBA by the Charlotte Hornets. He was so excited. Dream come true. But before he ever played a game, the Hornets told him that he was of no use to them, that he wasn't what they wanted. After all, they traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. This young man was taken aback. He believed he was good enough to play. But their opinions were like chains. You don't have what it takes. You're not talented enough. You're not going to make it in the NBA. You can't stop people from putting chains on you. But you can break the chains. You have the power to unlock what they said, to dismiss it, to not dwell on it. That's what he did. He didn't pay it any attention. His attitude was, your opinion doesn't determine who I am. I am not limited by how you define me. I am who God says I am. Eighteen years later, after winning five World Championships, making the All Star team 18 times in a row, four times the Most Valuable Player, two times the scoring champion of the league, Kobe Bryant posted a picture on social media. He was holding his jersey. He had a pleasant smile. The caption read, 18 years ago, I was told I was of no use. Don't let the chains people put on you keep you from your greatness. Break out of those chains. Get out of that graveyard. Thinking, can't do it. Too big, challenge. Too great. You and God are a majority. The chainbreaker lives in you. The power that raised Christ from the dead. Think about how all the forces of darkness tried to keep Jesus in the grave. The enemy did his best, but his best was not enough. God is fighting for you. His power is stronger than what someone said, stronger than a chain of addiction, a chain of anger, a chain of lack. The enemy wouldn't be trying to chain you if he didn't know you were a threat. He wouldn't try to hold you back if he didn't know you have greatness in you. That you're destined to set new standards, to take your family where they've never been. This man was living in the graveyards. And to try to ease the pain, he would cut himself using rocks to scrape, to injure blood, infection, scarring. We may not cut ourselves physically, but sometimes we're cutting ourselves mentally, cutting ourselves down, devaluing who we are, thinking we're not enough. This negative recording playing in our mind. You would think since the enemy has this man isolated in a graveyard, his mind tormented, he would leave him alone, that that would be enough. But the scripture says he comes to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus said, don't get me mixed up with him. I came that you might have life and have it more abundantly. Not just make it through, not just get your sanity back, but to have an abundance of joy, an abundance of peace, a great family seeing dreams come to pass. This man had a family back home, no doubt children that loved to see him. This mother was distraught. The man she loved is not in his right mind. I can see his parents weeping, heartbroken, seeing their little boy, the son they raised, now in this terrible condition. Sometimes we can't change it on our own. We prayed, we believed, but it hasn't worked out in the Scripture. There were times that the disciples prayed. They did what they were supposed to, but the person didn't get well. Jesus had to come. The good news is, God knows when we've done all we can. We tried to break it, but it didn't happen. We did our best, we stood in faith, but nothing is improving. We can feel hopeless. What more can we do? This is the way that family felt. Well, Jesus was in Galilee, teaching the people. At the end of a long day, he said to the disciples, let us cross to the other side of the lake. They were tired. They wanted to rest. But Jesus had an agenda that they knew nothing about. The other side of the lake was the tombs where this man lived. While they were sailing that night, you remember the huge storm? It ran, woke Jesus up. Don't you care that we perish? We're about to die. And Jesus stood up, spoke to the storm. Everything calmed down. In a few hours, they reached the shore. Jesus got out of the boat. The first thing, this man came running. No clothes, bleeding hair, disheveled, thin, frail. He fell at Jesus feet. Jesus said to the unclean spirit, come out of this man. In the unseen realm. Chains were broken. Forces of darkness left him instantly. He was healed. The scripture says they saw the man sitting fully clothed, totally sane in his right mind. Look at the goodness of God. For years he's been deranged. Then the chain breaker shows up. Now he's whole. Now he's free. Now he's going back to his family. I can see his children running out to hug him. Daddy's home, his wife weeping. His parents never thought they'd see this day. But God is fighting for us when we can't fight for ourselves. He's going to break chains that you couldn't break on your own. It's going to happen sooner than later. Things that have bogged you down, taken your joy, caused your heartache. Your time is coming. After the man was healed, Jesus got back on the boat, went back to Galilee. In other words, he had traveled all night across the lake, endured a storm just to get to this man that couldn't get free by himself. God knows when it's too much. He's not going to leave you helpless. You may have done what you can, but you can't seem to get free from the trouble, the bitterness, the addiction. Can I encourage you? God is crossing the lake right now. He hears your cries. He sees the pain, the injustice. He's on his way. He's going to break chains that you couldn't break. It's not that you didn't have enough faith. You didn't work hard enough. You made too many mistakes. Some chains only God can break. Other times, he'll give you the power to do it. But when you can't, don't lose heart. The chain breaker is coming. If Jesus will spend all night crossing a lake just to get to this one man, he'll do what he needs to do to get to you. He's not going to leave you lonely, broken, addicted. He's headed your way. Peace is coming. Freedom is coming. Joy is coming. Health is coming. This is one of the principles we celebrate on Resurrection Sunday. We couldn't free ourselves from our sin. We were separated from God. There was no way for us to be redeemed, restored. Jesus didn't cross a lake, but he went to a cross. He gave his life for you, for me. Nobody took it from him. He laid it down. The nails didn't hold him on the cross. Love held him on the cross. He defeated the enemy once and for all. Paid the price for our sins. Went to the grave, didn't stay there. Came out alive with all power in his hand. Just like he rescued this man who was stuck. God rescued us. Now we can live free and whole and victorious. Are there chains holding you back today? Have you gotten comfortable being Constrained. Learning to live with things that are limiting you. Don't settle there. Don't live in that cemetery looking for the living among the dead. Get your passion back. You are more powerful than you think. The spirit of the Most High God is on the inside of you. Break those chains of what People have spoken over you. You are not who they say you are. They don't control your destiny. Well Joel, I've tried to do this in the past. I wasn't able to. This is a new day. You are stepping into a chain breaking anointing. You're going to feel a supernatural power to do what you couldn't do before. Where God releases you from. What's holding you back now? Believe and declare. Chains of addictions are being broken right now. Chains of defeat, mediocrity, lack are being broken. Chains of insecurity, generational limitations, family baggage. Those chains are breaking. I declare freedom, wholeness, abundance, the fullness of your destiny in Jesus name. And if you receive it, can you say Amen? I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make him my Lord and Savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. We'd love to send you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. You can go to the website or text the number on the screen, but I hope you'll get into a good Bible based church and keep God first place. Each week I stand on this stage and remind you of what God says about you. Because it's easy to be defined by who people say we are or by our own negative thoughts that we're not talented or problems too big. The key is to go back to who God says you are. I'd love to send you my new book 101 Great Things that God says about you. I'll help you discover your true identity. God says you're blessed, you're chosen, you're forgiven. You have seeds of greatness. Your future is bright. When you get in agreement with God and declare his promises, you'll rise higher and become all you were created to be.
